Automatic coin controlled device for permutation safe locks or the like



E. L. DODSON. AUTOMATIC COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE FOR PERMUTATION SAFE LOCKS OR .THE LIKE.

APPLICATIDII FILED MAR. 26, 1917. 1,379,335. Patented May 24,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- [12 (12/212 fox-"s I I E. L. DODSON. AUTOMATIC COI-N CONTROLLED DEVICE FO R PERM UTATION SAFE LOCKS OR THE LIKE.

, APPLICATION FILED MAR..2 6| 1917- 1,379 3 2 SHEEIS-SHEET 2.

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49 la y 0 2 5 13 'IIIIII/II/I/IIII/ v Patented May 24, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,-

IEDVTIN L. DODSON, 0F COVINGTGN, KENTUCKY.

AUTOMATIC COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE FOR PERMlITA'I'ION SAFE LOCKS OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Application filed March 26, 1917. Serial No. 157,467.

To (ZZZ w hem it may 0072 064 22 Be it known that l, EDWIN L. DODSON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented an Automatic Coin Controlled Device for Permutation Safe Looks or the like, of which. the followingis a specification,

This invention relates to permutation locks for safes and the like, and its object is to provide an auxiliary device that 1s adapted for use in connection with the dog of the lock-mechanism whereby said dog is held out of possible contact with the permutation-tumblers, (even though the latter are set to the proper unlocking-combination,) until a coin or other controlling-device is used to automatically come into co-action with the driver-tumbler so as to release said dog and to permit it to engage with the alined notches in the tumblers and whereby the retracting of the lock-bolts can then fol low for the opening of the safe-door.

The details of structure. as well as operation, will be fully hereinafter described and an ordinary fireproof safe, showing a slot or narrow opening in the closed door thereof the insertion of the dog-releasing coin; Fig. 2, a fragmentary perspective view of the safe showing its door open in order to bring to view a record-card pocketor receptacle on the face of the removable coverplate or cap thereof, as well as a special lock used on the said cover-plate to prevent unauthorized access to the lock and coincontrolled mechanism, as well as coins accumulated therein; Fig. 3, an interior elevation of a fragmentary portion of the safe-door showing the bolt-mechanism, the permutation-tumblers, and my improved coin-controlled rnecnanism arranged in connection therewith and in the position all the devices assume when the tumblenmechanisni is in alinenient ready for the bolt-mechanism to be drawn backward or retracted for the unlocking of the door and at the time when the coin is to be dropped into the dog-controlling device ready for saiddog to be released and to he dropped into engagement with the said alined tumblers; Fig. l, a view similar to Fig. 3, but omitting the boltmechanism and showing the permutationturnhlers in due alinement as well as in engagement with the dog subsequent to the dropping of the coin through the chute or passage-way for engagement with the driver-tumbler and now ready for the bolts to be drawn so as to open the door; Fig. 5, a

transverse section of a fragmentary portion f the safe-door showing on its interior face a gravitating-dog (such as herein used to demonstrate my device,) and the slide-latch mechanism used in connection with said dog for holding the latter up until released by a controlling-coin that is to be dropped through a chute in the safe-door, this view being taken on the clotted-line a2, :0, of Fig. 4:, but, also, on the same line in Fig. 3, but with the dog lowered instead of as in said Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a longitudinal section of the slidelatch and its support, showing the coinchute and the latch controlling-spring, the said slide-latch being in its retracted position, away from its supporting or detaining engagement with the dog; Fig. 7, a detail elevation of the driver-tumbler showing the manner in which its edge is raised or ele vated adjacent the dog-notch thereof, the

purpose of which will be hereinafter clearly referred to; Fig. 8, a transverse section, partly in elevation, taken on the dotted-line y, y, of Fig. 3, showing the permutationtumblers, the operating knob therefor, the bolt-operating handle or lever, (as here used to demonstrate the device) and the coin chute leading to the latch device that is used for supporting the dog preparatory to its engagement with the alined tumblers and ready for the controlling-coin; and Fig. 9, a perspective view of the lock-tumblers together with the fore end of the dog that is ready to be dropped into their notches when duly alined.

1 indicates the safe-body; 2, the hinged door thereof; 3, the inner cap or coverplate of the door, i'ernovably connected at 3 at its lower edge and preferably provided with a special look at at itsupper edge, such lock being especially intended to prevent unauthorized access within; 5, the usual protrudable bolts of the door; 6, the vertical carrier-bar for said bolts 5; 7, the rearwardlyextending horizontal bar that is provided on said bolt carrier-bar and slidablyconnected to the back-wall 8 of the lockchamber 9 by means of screw 10, a slot 11 being provided in said bar 7 to allow for the sliding'movement thereof and, in turn, the rer-iprocal-inoveinent of the bolts 5 to lock and unlock the door, such slot limiting said reciprocal-movements of said bolts; 13, the permutationtumbler chamber; 13 a semicircular box having a hollow protuberant bearing 13 and attaching-lugs 12, one, only,

of the latter being shown in Figs. 3 and 4t;

14:, a series of permutation tumblers or idlers mounted, as customary, in the chamber 13 011 the hollow bearing 13; and 15 a spindle'or arbor that is controlled by an outer knob 16 carrying, as usual, the dialplate 17.

A bolt-throwing lever or handle 18 is provided on said spindle or arbor 15 and is mounted at the outer end of a tube or sleeve 15 that carries at its inner end a notched cam 16 whereby the bolt-mechanism is suitably coupled to throw the latter when the said tumblers are in the proper combination-alinement.

The peculiar structure of combination dial 7 and bolt-throwing lever-mechanism, wherein both are concentrically-mounted within but a single hole in the safe-door is one of many forms that 'is already being used in the manufacture of safes but not essential, however, to the use of the coin-controlled mechanism that forms the material and essential feature of the invention herein, and which is intended to operate in connection with the dog and the driver-tumbler of the permutation device that is used in safes. V

19 indicates the innermost or driver turnbler of the notched permutation-tumblers that are mounted on the spindle or arbor 15. idler or loose one, but it is duly keyed or otherwise coupled to the arbor so as to turn therewith in either direction, and an arm or lever 20 is mounted on said arbor, adjacent the hub of the driver-tumbler 19, and has an outer rounded end.

Adjacent the notch 21 of the drivertumbler 19 1' provide the periphery or edge with a rounded projection or hump 22, the purpose of which will be duly referred to and defined hereinafter.

23 indicates a gravitating arm, pivotallymounted on a screw or bearing 24 at its thickened or oppositely bossed rear-end and having at its narrowed or thinned fore-end a transverse pendent portion or dog-member 25, the latter being adapted to enter the usual notches in the permutation-tumblers,'

that include the driver-tumbler 19, when it is intended to retract or with-draw bolts for unlocking the sate-door, as customary. The screw 24 passes through the bossed portion of the dog 25 into a boss 7 on the slotted rear portion of the horizontal bar 7 that extends rearwardly from the vertical bolt carrier bar 6.

A shoulder 26 is provided on the rear face of the dog-member 25, the purpose of which I will presently describe.

This tumbler 19' is, therefore, not an the 27 indicates a horizontal block or bar attachedby means of screws 28 to the upper face of they horizontal portion 29 of the lock-chamber 12. The fore-edge of this block 27 projects beyond the fore-edge of said portion 29 of the loclechamber and has a pendent, longitudinal dovetail-formation 30 made integral therewith. The said dovetail-formation 30 carries acorresponding dovetail-slide 31 which has a horizontal slot 32 in its fore-end, the shank of a vertical screw-eye or the like 33 passing upwardly through said slot into the bottom of the block 27, asbest showninFig. 6. At the extreme fore-end of said slide 31, just beyond said slot 32, I provide a short, vertical, auxiliary chute-extension 34: whose upper end is slightly flared outwardly as shown at 35, and I further provide said chute-extension 34 at its rear with a lateral arm or e tension 36, the later having a nose 37 at its outer end and thereby completing the formation of a horizontal latch-arm, such nose-portion 3'? thereof being adapted to engage the shoulder 26 on the dog-member 25, as best shown in Fig. 3, whereby the dog is held elevated out of engagement with the alined permutation-tumblers until it is released by means of a. coin or the like 38 that is dropped into the said chute-extension 34: through a main chute or passage-way '39 that extends fromithe outer face of the front-wall 10 of the door 2 of the safe.

The main coin-chute 39 is attached by means of lugs 41 and screws $2 to the inner face of the front-wall 40 of the door, as best shown in Fig. 3, and inclines downwardly from that point, the latter being somewhat above the horizontal plane of the lockspin-dle, as best shown in Fig. 1, wherein the mouth of the coin-chute is sherm, such mouth 13 hein simply vertical narrow slit or slot for the accommodation of the desired coin that is permitted to freely pass therein.

A pair of duly spaced, ornamental designs 414 is produced on the face of the safe-door, to represent escutcheons of attractive out line, and in one of which the coin entranceslot 43 is located, the other one having a vertical heavy line 43 produced therein in imitation of said entrance-slot 43, whereby both designs appear to the eye as being alike and thus disarming any suspicion by the safe tamperer of the presence of said coin-slot or the necessity for the use of coin in the safe-door to open the lock.

The lower or discharge end of the main coin-chute 39 is supported by the member 29 of the lock-chamber and has pendent arm 45 that is vertically-slotted at 45 and,

in turn, has a rearwardly-turned foot an, as

ready for the operation of the driver-tumbler 19 and the arm 20 when it is desired to unlock the safe and to open the door.

A spiral spring 47 is provided or stretched between the screw-eye 33 and a hook 48, the latter being provided on the rear-end of the slide 31, as best shown in Fig. 6, in which view the chute-extension 34 and the latcharm 36 are shown depressed or forced back-' ward as far as they will go longitudinally, or are intended to go, by means of the arm 20 that projects from the arbor of the driver-tumbler 19. The said spiral spring 47 is a retractile one and is shown under expansion or tension in said Fig. 6, the re action of the slide 31 and latch-arm 36 being caused by said spring 47 automatically as soon as the coin 38 is dropped or released from the clute-extension 34, subesequent to the onward passage of the arm 20, which is the time for rotating the driver-tumbler and the retracting or withdrawal of the belts in unlocking the safe.

49 indicates a coin tray or receptacle incased within the housing 50, the latter being a pendent portion of the lock-chamber 9, as "best shown in Fig. 3. The said coin-receptacle flares at 51 at its upper end, into hopper-shape, to facilitate the entrance of the coin as it drops from the chute-extension 34, after passing away from its footsupport 46. The coin-receptacle is a removable one so that the contents can be readily transferred from within the safe-door after the cap or inner plate 3 has been unlocked at its upper edge so as to swing on the detents 3 at its lower end forwardly, toward the operator, when the door is open.

A record-card receptacle 52 is provided on the face of the cap or cover-plate 3, near its upper edge, adjacent the lock 4, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the desired account of the sums-total of coins removed from the cointray 49 can be conveniently kept therein and readily referred to from time to time.

The projection or hump 22 adjacent the notch 21 of the driver-tumbler 19 is intended for use in positively elevating the outer end of the gravitating-arm 23 that carries the dog-member 25 so that when that hump con tacts with the lower edge of said dog-member 25 it raises the pivotal-arm 23 the desired distance for the positive engagement of the outer end or nose-portion 37 of the latch-arm 36 with the projection or shoulder 26 on said dog-member when said latch-arm passes outwardly through the slot 45 of the pendentarm of thecoin-chute 39. Theengagement of said latch-member with the dog-member in supporting or detaining the latter normally out of or above contact with the peripheries of the tumblers is thus absolutely assured at the time when the door is closed and locked and, also, until a coin has been deposited on the supporting-foot in the chute-extension chute or passage-way 39 into the auxiliary chute-extension 34, findingits first resting place on the foot 46 of the pendent-arm 45.

Prior to the insertion of said coin, however,"

the permutation or idler tumblers of the lock are set in due alinement ready for the engagement of the clog-member 25 with the alined notches of said idler-tumblers and the subsequent alinement of, the drivertumbler.

The really essential feature of my invention herein lies in the fact that the latch arm 36 is in engagement with the shoulder 26 on the dog-member 25 so that said dogmember cannot engage with the alined notches of the tumblers or, in fact, connect at all until said latch-arm 36 is withdrawn from said engagement with the said shoulder 26. To eflect the disengagement of the said latch-arm 36 from upholding-contact with the clog-member, the arm or lever 20' on the tumbler shaft 15 is advanced forward (to the left, in Fig. 3,) sothat its outer, rounded and contacts with the coin 38that is resting on the foot 46 ofthe pendent chute-arm 45. The movement of said arm 20 forces said coin away from the said supporting-foot 46 and it acts as a lever within the chute-extension 34 to depress or force the slide 31 backwardly into the position shown in Fig. 6. At this time the outer dial indicates that the safe door can be opened. The outer handle 18 is now turned so that the arm 23 may swing downwardly with its integral dog-member 25 into engagement with the alined notches of all the tumblers including the notch of the driver-tumbler. The retracting path of the bolt-carrying members being new open, the bolts 5 may be retracted by means of said handle 13, the tube 15, the notched cam 16 and the said dog-member 25 so that their outer beveled faces shall lie flush with that of the sloping face of the fore edge of the safe door, and the latter free to be swung open. When the coin 38 has reached the position shown in Fig. 6 and the arm 20 has further advanced with its arbor 15 in the rotation of the latter, the said coin drops from the chu e-extension 34 into the-tray 49 below, so that the door may be SYllilg 013611.

Access may now be had tov said coinreceptacle at any time by the duly authorized a person to receivesuch coin collections as may accumulate in the coin-receptacle by opening the lock 4 and swinging the cap or coverplate on its lower endoutwardly. Arrecordcard is intended to be kept in the receptacle 52 on the face of the cap or cover-plate 3 for convenience of said authorized person, or for others using the safe, to show the sums-total taken from the coin-receptacle from time to time in the use of the coin-controlled mechanism.

An additional and material object or advantage of said coin-controlled mechanism is to furnish an extra safeguard against opening the safe that is to be used in the sale vof the safe on easy terms, the purchaser himtumbler, a pivotal-arm mounted on said slotted bolt-bar, a dog-member mounted at the'fore-end of said pivotal-arm and adapted to engage the said tumblers, spring-latch detaining means for said dog-member to prevent itsengagement with the said tumblers until the latter are in due 'alinement, lock-operating means including an arbor or spindle, and coin-controlled means adapted to be released for, in turn, releasing the doginember'when the inserted coin has reached in the lock-chamber and the said arbor or spindle turned, and then the said lock-open ating means adapted to be actuated so that said dog-member may drop into the notches of said tumblers for engagement therewith and then followed by the retraction of said lock-bolts, substantially as shown and described. I

2. In a coin-controlled device for use in connection with the locks of safe-doors, the combination of a lock-chamber, lock-bolts, a slotted rearwardlyextending bolt-bar, notched permutation-tumblers adapted to be brought into the desired alinement from outside the safe-door, a dial-spindle, a driver-tumbler rigidly mounted on the dialspindle and having a peripheral notch therein, an arm projecting from said dial-spindle and with its outer end of such length as to extend beyond the periphery of the said driver-tumbler, a pivotal-arm in the lockchamber mounted on said slotted bolt-bar, a pendent dog-member provided on said pivotal-arm and adapted to engage the alined notches of the said pernnitation-tumblers in cluding the notch of the driver-tumbleiya shoulder on said pendent dog-member, a coin-chute leading fromthe outer face of the safe-doordownwardly into the said lockchamber and with its discharge-end in vertical alinement above the circular path of movement of'the said extended end of the said arm on the dial-spindle, a pendent arm provided at the said discharge-end of the c0in-chute and having a lateral foot-extension, a reciprocally-moving slide under spring-tension and having at its fore-end a chute-extension the latter being adapted to be normally supported in alinement with the discharge-end of the main coin-chute and under said spring-tension, a latch-extension projecting forwardly from said chuteextension and with its extreme outer end adapted to engage the shoulder on said dog member to detain the dog-member when normally out of engagement with the said tumblers, lock-operating means, and a coin receptacle adapted to catch the coin when dropped from its first resting or landing place within the said chuteextension and upon the said lateral foot-extension when the said extended end of the arm 011 the dial-spindle has been brought into contact witii the coin or other coupling-medium deposited in said chute-extension and whereby the said dog-member is automatically released for dropping into engagement with the alined notches of the tumblers ready for the lock-operating handle or lever of said lock-operating means that is used in manipulating the lock-bolts, substantially as shown and described. 1

,3. In a coin-controlled device for use in connection with the locks of safe-doors, a l'oclrchamber, lockbolts, a dial-spindle, notched permutation-tumblers, a drivertumbler on the dial-spindle having adjacent its notch an 'outwardly-projecting humpfo'rmatioman arm on the inner end of the dial-spindle, a slotted bolt-bar, a piv0talarm in the lock-chamber mounted on the said slotted bolt-bar, a shouldered dog-memher at the outer end of the said pivotal-arm, a coin-chute leading from the outer face of the safe-door to a dischargepoint above the said driver-tumbler but to one side of vertical alinement with the arbor or spindle thereof, a pendent-foot at the dischargeend of said coin-chute, a dove-tail-formation onthe upper wall of the lock-chamber, a dovetail-slide mounted on said dovetailformation on the lock-chamber and having a longitudinal slot therein, a vertical screweye whose shank engages the said dovetailformation through the slot in the said clovetail-slide, a spring stretched between said screw-eye and a hook at the rear-end of said dovetail-slide to hold the latter normally under tension in its forward position, a vertical chute-extension at the fore-end of said dovetail-slide and adapted to be normally in alinement with the discharge-end of the coin-chute as well as in vertical alinement above the foot-member below the said discharge-end of the coin-chute, a coin-receptacle in the lock-chamber, a latch-extension projecting forwardly from said chute-extension and with its outer end adapted to engage the projection or shoulder 011 the dogmember for normally detaining the dog member in the lock-chamber out of contact with the look-tumblers until a coin or the like has been deposited in the coin-chute and lands or rests within the chute-extension and upon the pendent-foot at the dis charge-end of said coin-chute, the said coin being adapted to be frictionally-engaged by the outer end of the arm on the dial-spindle when the latter is actuated ready for the throwing of the bolts and against the tension of said spring and such coin dropping into said coin-receptacle in the lock-chamber when the outer end of said arm on the dialspindle has advanced from contacting-pressure therewith, and a cap or covering plate forming the inner wall of the safe-door and provided with a lock to prevent unauthorized opening thereof or unauthorized access to the coin-controlling and lock mechanism within, substantially as shown and de scribed.

EDWVIN L. DODSON. 

